Sunday, August 29, 2010

Joshua Ploeg is a man of many talents (some of you may know him from past music projects such as Mukilteo Fairies, Lords of Lightspeed & Behead the Prophet N.L.S.L.). The most tasty talent being his mad culinary skills. If you ever have the chance to attend an event where he is cooking, don't miss out.

Aaron & I were lucky to host a dinner at our house last week when Joshua rolled through town. 6 courses of amazingness were served and Joshua realized we have known each other for 17 years. My goodness.

figuring out how to seat 15 people was an interesting last minute challenge as was realizing I didn't have 15 spoons for the melon gazpacho.

We were all so full.

Joshua also has a number of cookbooks distributed through Microcosm that you can pick up here & blogs here about his meals, traveling dinners & shares recipes regularly.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I flew from Seattle to Idaho Falls, ID. It was my first time at their tiny airport, I rented a car, visited all the local thrift stores then headed about 2 hours North-East to one of my best friends weddings in the middle of nowhere.

Eilis & Nathaniel were married Saturday, August 21st at the J Bar L Ranch in Centennial Valley Montana surrounded by friends and family from around the world. These are a few of my favorites from the short weekend in Big Sky paradise.

Exit 0, Montana

Exit 0, Montana

From Exit 0, it took 45 minutes on this gravel road to get to the ranch.

Oota

J Bar L Ranch

J Bar L Ranch

We picked wild flowers for the ceremony

Big Sky

Family: Thurman, Lugh, Micaela, Oota

Thurman

Oota

Bride & Groom (Nathaniel's beautiful suit was made by my friends over at Dutchess Clotheir)

Saturday, August 14, 2010

It's complicated to explain where I "grew up", but this is sort of relevant to the two photos I wanted to post-

I was born (at home) in Minneapolis, MN. I spent the 4th year of my life in a van (the maroon balloon) driving around the United States and Mexico with my mom & dad until it was time for school. We settled in California where my mom grew up. Then along with a ton of other 1980's LA people our family of 3 migrated up to Seattle where I started 6th grade and finished high school. I stayed in the Pacific NW until 1998, then sorta randomly ended back in Minneapolis with my first boyfriend living in a wearhouse called the Spice Factory (it really was a spice factory).

This past week I flew with my man and 6 of his family members to Seattle for a vacation. Considering I am an only child, this was a pretty epic trip for me.

The Polansky-Johnson's + 1 Levine family in front of the Olympia free wall

A part of this family vacay was spent driving up to mymom's farm for the night. While there she passed on to me a box of old slides, photos and letters. Tonight, out of that box, I just unearthed this mysterious envelope addressed to me from 1978 in my dad's handwriting.

Turns out it's a letter from my dad to me while he was away on a business trip when I was 7 months old.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

There has been a slight change of plans this trip, not shooting next week for the Sign Painter movie due to unforeseen circumstances but there is PLENTY to do while here including an exhibition I am really looking forward to checking out at the Museum of Northwest Art about Fishtownand the Skagit River (a exploration and multi-layered survey of the creative settlement that grew up on the Skagit River delta when artists, poets, and scholars occupied a series of abandoned fishermen’s shacks beginning in the late 1960s for nearly twenty years.)

These photos are the top picks from about 95 images I selected to post from a trip last week to visit my friends who live in a community on the Mississippi River of house boats/boat houses. It was one of the times I felt lucky to be alive and to know the people I do. I can't wait to go back and spend more time there sooner than later. Thanks Gerty, Auralee & Pucker (the dog) for having us in your home.

Welcome to Wolf Spider Island....

The dome house boat.

This river community has existed since the 1960's

Host {Gerty}

Hostess {Auralee}

Boat dog {Pucker}

Catfish picked clean by the Turkey Vultures.

I realized everything had to be tied to shore.

River clam

Okra flower growing on a floating river garden

Inside the dome boat, living quarters.

Inside the dome boat, screened in kitchen.

Inside the dome (the original structure was built in the 60's)

Homegrown.

Dinner. I didn't notice that boat on my plate until I uploaded the photo.

After dinner river catch, Mr. Northern Pike.

After dinner dip in the Mississippi.

Dusk on the Mississippi

Island fire before bed

Sunrise on the Mississippi through the mosquito net.

Up early, my man still asleep.

later days Wolf Spider Island......boat ride back to the car.

Full photo set here. Check out photographer Monia Lippi's "Floating Winona" images to see more of this community from another perspective.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

We took a quick 3 day road trip to visit some nearby spots before the summer was over. I know, I know Summer isn't over, but it IS over in the Midwest for this lady. After a 2 year record breaking 46 days home in Wisconsin I'm back on the road again as of today. I'm currently blogging from the air with Aaron to the left of me and 6 of his family members sitting behind us. We are on our way to stay in a cabin near Olympia, WA for a few days & then visit my mom's farm. Then those guys are heading back to WI and I am speaking at the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs. THEN shooting a crew of sign painters lettering the side of my mom's barn in Bow, WA for a week. THENNNN off to a besties wedding in the middle of Montana. Packing for this trip was interesting. Anyways...

Road Trip: part 1 included staying in Trempealeau WI, visiting the Rock in the House and the Prairie Moon sculpture garden. All are highly recommended.

Hello.Over the past 10 years I've used this blog for various purposes. Before I had a website or instagram existed it provided me a home base for my photographs, acting as the core method of communication. I've also used it as a way to keep track of projects, events and places I am visiting.

Now that I'm not on the go as much I post less frequently, but will continue to make updates when I feel inspired.